Reputation
by Connie Connike
Summary: -FE7, LegaultHeath- "Must be this thing called 'love, you know?" A simple 8-word phrase. A phrase enough to leave Heath on a mental journey to find out what his feelings are.


_So, uh... this is my LegaultHeath fanfiction I had waiting to upload for seemingly forever._

_Yes._

_Pairing: LegaultHeath._

_All characters except Alihi, Including Leagault and Heath's A support which I based part of this off of (c) Nintendo._

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Reputation

_"Must be this thing called 'love', you know?" _

Heath ran faster, heading deeper into the dark forest. _"I've got to keep moving…" _He remembered why he was running; Legault. Although Legault had immediately denied his confession of love, the Bernese wyvern rider couldn't help but belief that the thief's denial was completely and utterly false; thieves had an odd reputation to be liars. Heath leaned against a tree trunk, and closed his eyes, focusing solely on slowing down his quick and uneven breathing.

The green-haired man didn't see the calm darkness of closed eyelids, but a perfect mental image of Legault; the light lavender hair, the pure sky-blue eyes, the devious smile, the scars over his left eye that made his face not completely flawless. Heath bit his lip, biting back tears. _"You idiot…" _He sat fully down on the ground, pulling his knees to his chest. _"…You can't fall in love…__ not now…__"_

"Heath! Are you out here?" The said man tensed as the invader pulled herself out of the surrounding bushes. "Heath, you idiot. Don't run off like that." Alihi froze when she saw the wyvern rider's condition; her anger melted, and she offered a hand. "Come on, Heath. You'll be alright…" Heath took her hand, and the brunette tactician pulled him to his feet. "Let's head back, alright?" The green-haired man nodded slightly.

_"You're wrong, Alihi…" _He slowly followed her back to the camp. _"I won't be alright... as long as it's too dangerous to love..."_

--

"Hey, Guy? Can I speak to you?" The Sacaen myrmidon raised an eyebrow. Heath and Guy were only friends because Matthew and Legault were. Even then, the only similarity they found is their hair color and being associated with a thief.

"Sure, Heath… What do you want?"

"Okay, this may sound weird, but are you able to trust everything a thief says?" Guy gave Heath a puzzled look.

"Well, you can trust the words if they have emotion behind them."

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Guy sighed. "How do I explain this...?" The green-haired swordsman tapped his chin, thinking. "Let's use Legault as an example. Now, let's say Legault tells you that he loves you with a straight face, no hesitation, would you believe it?" Heath pondered for a moment.

"I probably wouldn't."

"Now, let's say he tells you he loves you, but he's fretting and generally being nervous about the whole situation, choosing his words carefully. Would you believe that?" Heath hesitated.

"… I guess so."

"Well, just think about it, Heath." The wyvern rider stood up. "Thank you for your help." Guy nodded. Heath started to walk away.

"…Heath?" The said man turned back around. "Good luck." Heath sharply turned, trying pathetically and failing miserably to hide his embarrassment. Guy couldn't help but smile and laugh. "He reminds me so much of when I fell for Matthew… I hope Legault will realize what he's got."

--

_"Hey, Heath__"__ L__egault waved to the wyvern rider. Heath turned, and after fully realizing who was calling to him, waved back._

_"Looks like you're still alive." The lavender-haired man shrugged__, standing next to the wyvern rider and his wyvern_

_"Can't __complain."__ Heath's eyes narrowed suspiciously._

_"Legault, what do you want from me? You're being too kind."__ Legault's eyes widened._

_"Heath!__ Why must you be so suspicious of me?"_

_"You're an ex-Black Fang, and a powerful one, too. And from my understanding, you appeared under strange circumstances." The green-haired man replied flatly; Legault sighed._

_"__Well…__" Legault tapped his finger on his own chin, pondering. "Whether working for this__ rag-tag__ army or dodging Black Fang pursuers, it does make a lot of sense to have a wyvern rider close at hand. Very few soldiers can match your __intensity__ and __vigor__ on the battlefield. Of course, it _does_ complicate matters__ a bit__ that you are being pursued."_

_"_So_ sorry__ that my status causes a problem__"__ Heath retaliated sarcastically.__ The lance-wielder__ sighed quietly, a serious look appearing on his face. "I'm being hunted by my own homeland. There's a price, probably a high one, __for__ my head. Being close to me is definitely not like lying in a bed of roses." Legault's expressions darkened._

_"The same is true for me as well.__ Many of the Black Fang would see me dead, if they could, that is." __He __chuckled,__ a__ small grin appeared on his face. "Look, why don't we help each other out? Lend a hand dealing with our respective foes?" Heath stared blankly at the thief._

_"My enemy's the strongest army division on this whole continent. No matter __what way you look at this, even optimistically, I'd have to say you're getting the shorter end of your idea. __Why would you agree to do all of that for _me_, someone you __didn't even know existed__ before this?" Legault hesitated._

_"Hm…? Must be this thing called 'love', you know?" Heath backed away slowly, a shocked expression on his face.__ The thief stared at Heath, the same look on his face.__ "W-where are you going? I was joking! Get back here!"_

_"…" Legault sighed. A solemn expression appeared on his face__, replacing his previous expression_

_"__…__Look, just let it __go__, alright?" The wyvern rider looked nervously on the lavender-haired man. "Come on, I like you. Even on the run, you're true to your __knightly __principles. You're recklessly honest. That's from someone who just simply cannot do that..." Legault held out his hand. "Friendship between fugitives… what do you say?__ Is that alright with you?__" Hesitantly__ Heath took the outstretched hand. _

_"You're one __strange__ guy…"_

--

_"Journal, I am completely and utterly confused. I told you about Legault's 'confession' the other day and about my doubts. I talked to Guy today about it, and by what he told me, he's saying Legault was being serious! All I know at this point is__ I can't believe this,__ that I do love him. But what if he's lying? What if he doesn't love me?__ What if this is just another trick of his to get in my head?__"_

"Hey, Heath! Whatcha' doin'?" Heath jumped, startled by the familiar voice that always made cold shivers run down his spine. He clutched his "journal" close to him.

"L-Legault! What a surprise! How _are_ you doing?" Legault arched an eyebrow.

"I'm alright… but it's obvious that you're not."

"Wha-what in the world are you talking about?! I'm perfectly fine!" Heath stuttered, his voice contradicting his words.

"Yeah. Completely fine." The ex-Black Fang rolled his eyes and swiped the parchments from Heath's arms in one graceful swipe. "Being all jumpy when your own _tent-mate _says 'hi' to you is definitely under the 'fine' category."

"Legault! Give those back!" The thief cleared his throat.

"Journal, I am-" Legault stopped abruptly and froze as he heard a new sound; choked sobs.

"H-Heath… I… I didn't mean to make you cry…."

The parchment paper fluttered gently to the ground in front of Heath. The Bernese's body continued to shake as the sobbing continued. Legault wrapped his arms around Heath, resting the lance-wielder's head on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry… I'm such an ass, aren't I? Making the person I love cry…" The thief gently stroked the green and white locks of hair, holding back his own sad tears.

"Le…" Heath hiccupped out another sob.

"Sh… don't talk until you are ready." Heath nodded, keeping his tear-stained face hidden in the thief's deep purple cloak. Legault hummed an improvised tune, soothing the wyvern rider.

"I love you, Heath…"

--

"Can I speak to Kent, Sain, Florina, Erk, Canas, Legault, Matthew, Heath, and Guy?" The said people joined the three lords in the tactician's tent. The tension was palpable as Alihi spoke. "Okay, I feel an ambush coming if we continue much further."

"How can you tell, Alihi?" Lyn questioned.

"It's just a feeling. Besides, we don't have time to waste if we're going to get that Fire Emblem back to Bern on time. That's why I chose only the strongest to 'fall for their ambush'." The group nodded; they all knew Alihi's ability to know what's going to happen without the help of Hannah or Nils, knowing who needs to talk to another unit for recruiting, and if there is a secret shop nearby. The brunette glanced out the tent's flap. "… And it looks like we're dealing with the Fog." A few people winced; Fog meant less accuracy and better hiding for both sides. "There are only two paths that lead to the same place; a left and a right. Oh, we're not traveling within a trench, so please calm down, Florina." The pegasus rider turned bright pink and nodded.

"Going left will be Legault, Heath, Eliwood, Hector, Canas, and Sain. Everyone else is right." Legault grinned happily at the wyvern rider. Heath couldn't help but crack a smile in return. "You all have half an hour to prepare. Report back here when you're ready." The group nodded and started leaving individually. "Heath, wait." The mention lance-wielder turned around.

"Yes, Alihi?"

"Be extremely careful. Florina has been in Fog situations before, and guessing from your earlier reaction, I think you have very little experience." Heath could only nod. "I do not want to lose you out there, you understand? I'm positive _someone_ in camp feels the same way." Nod. Alihi smiled lightly.

"29 minutes, Heath."

--

"Why were you smiling when I was smiling?" Legault and Heath were back in their tent, Legault sitting on his bedroll, polishing his knife, and Heath trying to find his last leg guard.

"Just happy to see you smile, I guess. Now, give me back my leg guard." The thief sighed.

"Nothing gets past you, eh? Fine." A sly grin appeared on his face. "But you are going to have to kiss me for it."

"Gladly." Heath mumbled as he pressed his lips against Legault's, who was now full on smirking. The ex-Black Fang wrapped his arms around Heath's waist, standing up slowly and beckoning him closer. The green-haired man couldn't resist, and wrapped his own arms around Legault's neck, allowing the thief more control. However, the lavender-haired man broke the kiss, leaving Heath confused. "Legault?" Legault placed a finger against Heath's lips.

"Sh." He handed the wyvern rider his leg guard. "Hurry. We're going to be late." Heath nodded, a gloomy look in his eyes. Legault couldn't hold back his grin. "Don't worry." The thief gently caressed Heath's hand, placing a soft kiss on the top. Heath turned beet red. "We'll continue this later."

--

"Heath!" The wyvern screeched loudly as an arrow skinned its wing. Hyperion spun, trying to regain control but failing.

_"I do not want to lose you out there, you understand?" _Heath saw the ground getting closer and closer. The wyvern rider closed his eyes, bracing for impact.

"Heath! Look out!" The said man's eyes snapped back open, quickly directing Hyperion away from another arrow. The wyvern collapsed on the ground, exhausted. Canas ran up quickly, pulling out a Heal staff. The warm, blue glow slowly closed up Hyperion's wound. With a dismissive nod from Heath, the druid got up and left, pulling out a Flux to obliterate the archers who attacked.

"Hyperion, you alright?" The wyvern screeched quietly in response. "That's good… I'm so sorry that happened to you. My careless mistake could have cost us our lives. If-"

"I wasn't paying attention, you would have died." Heath 'eep'ed, jumping in surprise.

"Legault! Don't scare me like that, damn it!" Legault grinned."You're welcome!" Heath smiled, but that faded quickly as he saw an enemy soldier approaching, preparing their steel lance; the thief was completely oblivious. The wyvern rider shoved Legault away just as the lance was about to hit its mark on Legault's back.

The steel lance sliced just below the artery in Heath's upper left arm. He felt the warm blood running down his arm from the gash. Wincing, Heath stabbed his own steel lance into the soldier's stomach, who in return struck at the other artery. The wyvern rider gripped at his new wound and tried to grab his lance, but the enemy had tossed it away. Heath was completely defenseless. The enemy soldier grinned a yellow-toothed smile, and aimed the lance at Heath's jugular…

…to only be blocked by Legault's knife.

"Legault!" The thief made a graceful cut right at the soldier's jugular, following up with randomly placed stabs. The enemy soldier crumpled in a bloody heap.

"Heath! Are you alright?" The green-haired man nodded. "Let me see your arms." Heath moved his blood-covered fingers off of the wound. Legault pulled out a vulnerary and a cloth from his pouch, and dressed the wounds. "Make sure you see one of the healers later, alright? I don't want you to bleed to death…"

"Legault, stop worrying! I was a soldier of Bern! A small wound's not going to keep me down." Legault raised an eyebrow.

"Heath, pain's pain, no matter who you are. Besides, those weren't small wounds."

"Legault, you really aren't acting like yourself… did you get knocked in the head or something?"

"Come on! Hurry up, you two!" Sain's figure appeared and disappeared. Legault nodded to Hyperion. "I'll explain later. First, we got to catch up."

--

"Heath, you fucking moron! You could have died out there if Legault wasn't there to save your sorry ass!" Heath winced as Alihi yelled at him and Priscilla redressed the wound. "What did I tell you?!"

"To be careful."

"Exactly! And you got careless and nearly shot down by a mediocre archer!"

"Why do you care so much?" Alihi's expression darkened.

"We Bern runaways got to watch out for each other." Heath's eyes widened.

"You…" The tactician stood.

"That's a story for another day. Now, both of you, get back to your tents." Priscilla bowed nervously and left quickly. Alihi sniffled, wiping her eyes. "Did you not hear me, Heath? Go. To. Your. Tent." The wyvern rider put a gently hand on her shoulder, who immediately whacked it away. "Leave. Now." Shocked, Heath quickly left Alihi's tent. She let the tears escape.

"A…Aki… Ryuu…"

--

Heath pushed open the tent flap, only to see Legault lying on his bed only in his pants, humming the tune from before. The wyvern rider flushed. "Legault?! What the _fuck_ are you doing?!" The ex-Black Fang turned and grinned at the lance-wielder.

"Ah, Heath! Good to see you! You feeling any better?" The Bernese sighed heavily.

"I was, but now I don't…"

"It's because I'm so damn sexy, right?" Legault winked.

"Sure… Let's go with that." Heath sat next to the half-naked man, who pouted. "Well, anyways, I have a question."

"Shoot.""Why are you here? Like I said before, people would love to see me die slowly and painfully at their hand for my betrayal to Bern. It's dangerous to be in love, let alone associated with me. So, why do you do this? Why?!" Legault crawled into Heath's lap, and gently pecked his cheek.

"Must be this thing called 'love', you know?"


End file.
